Trailer tent



July 4, 1950 T. HEM. 2,513,411

I TRAILER TENT Filed March 25, 1948 y i j E /7 'ATTURNEY Patented July 4, 1950 i Teo 1 STATE-s1 PMEN 'r o1-FF 1ct;

TRAILER TENT Theodore Heil, Lodi', Calif.

' Applicatin March 23, 1948,seria1 No. 16,520' n o claims. (01,135-,7-4.)

rIhis invention relates toV improvements incamp ltents and particularly to tents sin which va utility trailer selectively.` functionsk .as a part `of the tent, and provides a tent which iss-struck with a, minimumr of effort and in the shortest pos- `sible time, being moved -to erected Aposition by merely pulling in Vone relement, and canxbe moved from a collapsedpositioirto an erected posit-ion in vabout one lrsecond, thereafter Amerely''requiring anchoring of the extensiony portion4 4about the lower edge.

In addition, thistent'ihas' afiloorportion4 which selectively functions as a floor for the y"erected tent and as' a cover for the collapsed .ftent, being made to button about thesidesoftthenbedfframe or tra-iler body, so that no extra-coveris required.

The tent can be mountedfona:specialdrame made -to releasably attach :to the' top of a'utiiity trailer body, or directly onthe tralleribody; the separate frame being preferredv as-fa'vbed .can be kept made up -at all times ready for use, and 7ca-n be removed for separate use of the'trailer,v and where the tent is mounted-on a-separate frame which rests'on the top-0f the trailer body, ythe trailer -bodyl can be made` with hingedv fsidesto:

form a storage compartment for food and camping, fishing and hunting equipment.`

l Tt -therefore provides ai tent inv-combination with a tra-iler, one which can -be-ierectedL in an instant, and in which plenty of luggage space is lprovided and in which abcd canbekept in icondition for use. l

It provides .a tent having-twice the areawof the support on which'it is imounted,l and folds `back Vcompletely within the confinesy of the support.

i stant.

Fourth, to provide a tent as outlined which utilizes a frame for one Vhalf the area of the tent with the other half extending beyond onelside of the frame, and with the entire tent collapsible into the frame and thus requiring a minimum vof space.

,2 In describing the invention-reference will be had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top Vplanview of the invention with alportion of the cover being ycu-t away to show the interior construction.

Fig, 2 isa front elevation with portions of the cover-cutaway to show the interior construction.`

Fig.` 3-is an enlarged fragmentary View showing the releasable attachmentofone ofthe belts on Athe side wall strut.A

Fig. 4 shows the flangeabout lthe -oor portion yfor use ofthe floor portion as a cover for the colythe otherforfattaching-the'floor portion H of the tent to the frame through the medium Aof the encompassing ila-nge -41 which is preferably formed of the same material as the tent, when the floor portion is used as a'Y cover for the remai-nderV of .the collapsed or folded tent.

Obviouslythe trailer body i8 `can 'be used as the frame, though fa separate frame is preferable because-thisframe is -supportedon top of the trailer 4body andisecured 4thereto as indicated at .19', and with the trailer body having hinged sides asl indicated at.20', thereforethe-space 2l can be y*used as aluggage space, easy of access, and capable fof lcarrying :all essential camp equipment,

food, and huntir-igV andshing equipment,- or, for

laborers, tools and y'other :equipment can be carried thereina Furthermore, with the vremovable frame, the tent in collapsed form can be lifted oifthe trailer :to leavel the trailer free for separateuse.

Thetraileriseprovided withadjustable legs 22 for rm supportof the structure and which are collapsible or `foldable vagainst the underside of .the trailer, beingshown .as'hi-ng-ed at 2,3.

'The 'tent supporting structure includes a plural-ityof.bows including a firsttbowv 24; a-central bow 25: and -a lateral bow 25; the bows .24 and 25 being -pivoted as indicated at Elon a shaft 2t with ythe-.arms of the lateral bow 2-6y keyed thereon and which sha-ft -is-supported at its opposite ends in bearings 29 mounted on the ends ofuone side :ofthe frame ortrailer body, and the shaft is provided :at one or both ends with acrank zattachingend 2:8. These bowsha-ve ar-mssnbs-tantially equal in length lto the Width of the frame'so that they fold downwithin lthe vconrlnessof the.A frame as indicated at 24', 25 and 26' when the tent is collapsed, or at least do not extend beyond the opposite side wall II of the frame.

` A hip bow 30 has its arms pivoted, either inside or outside of the arms, to the lateral bow 26 as indicated at 3l, the length of the arms of the bow 30 being equal to `the distance from the pivotal point 3l to the shaft 28, and the arms 26 are provided with suitable stop means, such as the offset 32 formedrin each arm 2'6 for cooperation with the bow 30' which limits the under and outward extension of the bow 30 to that necess,

sary to form the hip 33 in line with the top of the wall II of the frame and equidistant from the center of the shaft 2B to providea uniform outline for the tent.

Webs 34 have one end releasably attached to i ,z

the one side wall II at 35 and i'lxedly attached to the lower edge I5 of the tent, and to therespective bows at 36, 31 and 38 and are provided with releasable attaching means 39 on the other end for attachment to thebow 30.

The tent is formed to fit over the spread bows l with one side and part of each end wall vterminating just below the top of the frame walls I I and is attached thereto preferably by means of ysnap fasteners I4 or other suitable detachable means', though it can be permanently attached. However, if the tent frame is mounted directly on the trailer body, it would' be advantageous to have the tent releasable therefrom.

Viewing the front end of the tent, Fig. 2, the

- extension side of the tent includes aside wall 4I] and front and rback wall drop extensions 4I and 42 (the front wall 4I being fragmentarily shown in Fig. 2) which terminate in a floor 43.- A center wall 44 closes the space between ythe ground and trailer body from the front wall tothe back 'wall and its upper end is releasably attached along the lower edge of the trailer body as' shown at I5', forming a complete enclosure, and simultaneously providing access to the interior of the Vtrailer body when the hinged drop 'doorrZIl is lowered as shown.

The front wall 4I is provided with a door such-V as a slit 45 with the edges securable together by means of a conventional slide fastener.

A nange 4l encompasses and extends outwardly from they i'loor portion 43 and is provided with securing elements v I5 for securing by the elements I5 on the frame when the floor portion is used as a cover for the collapsed and `folded tent;

and suitable grommets 49 are also provided in this flange for securing the lower edge of the depending extension side of the tent as by stakes or spikes 50 to anchor this lateral extension of the with the flange 41 fastened all around to the lower series of snap fasteners I5, thus fully protecting the tent and contents of the frame and trailer body. l

To erect the tent, the oorsection serving as a cover is unsnapped, and the `cross member 52 of p the bow 30 is grasped and pulled away from the side of the trailer, or a hand crank 55r is attached to the wrench end 28' of the shaft 28 and oper- `oringllle bottom of the tent.l `The upper end oftheffcenterlwall 44 caninow be secured by the snap fasteners at I 5' making a Acomplete enclosure. Obviously the tent can be supported in its entirety without resort to anchoring means by ears `5.3 which secure to the lower portions of the legs 22 forming a tension between the points 33 and :5.4 andbetween the legs :22 at the respective front andy back ends of the trailer, under which conditions the tent is erected merely by pulling out on the cross member 52, or operating the crank l55, hooking the member 39 over the cross member 52 and 'fastening the "ears 53. It takes only about oneI second to erect the tent after the cover has been released'and a few seconds additional to lfasten the ears 53,` and fastening of the ears is not' even necessary ifthere is no wind or the oor next tothe wallv 4B" is weighted, as the tent will maintain its erect position due to the weight of the overhanging portion and the pivotal support at the center' of thete'nt.

1. In a camp tent having a frame vehicularly supported, and having encompassing walls including side walls and front and back walls and a roof, a'plurality of main bows including a lateral bow having'eachA a cross member and having a 'common pivotal" connection to one -side wall of said' frame, and spanning the length of the frame; ltent'hip supporting means comprising; a hip b'ow having its side armspivotally connected 'to the sideA arms ofsaid-lateral bowintermediate the length thereof, flexible means for vlimiting the angular spacing of Isaid main bows and attachable to the cross member of said hip bow to support said hip bow under tension from above substantially in the same plane as said vcommon pivotal connection and including stop means cooperating'between said lateral bow and said hip bow for limiting `the under and outward swing of said hip bow,with said tent attached to the frontiand back' walls and the other side wall of said frame and having a lateral extension supported vby-said lateral bow and including a hip supported bly said hip bow, with said hip bow initially functioning as means for pulling the tent to erected position and thereafter as a support for the-hip of the tent.

2 A structure as defined in claim 1; said tent having a drop extension from said lateral extension and including a floor section having an encompassing flange attachable over the top of the remainder of the tent and to the frame when the tent is collapsed to form a protective cover therefor. Y

3. A structure as dened in claim 2; said frame having two series of attaching means in two relative planes for releasable attachment respectively of the lower edge ofthe tent cover and for attachment of said flange to provide said protective cover.

4. In a camp tent having a vehicularly supported frame having a plurality of bows including a lateral lbow and spanning the length ofo-ne lside wall lofthe frame and pivotally supported thereon, and a hip bow having its arms pivotally connected intermediate the length of said lateral bow and stop means cooperating between said lateral bow and said hip bow for limiting the upward and outward extension of said hip bow to support the hip of the tent, said hip bow folding downwardly against said lateral bow during collapse of the tent and having its cross member located adjacent said one side wall and therefore being directly accessible for initially functioning as means for manually pulling said plurality of bows to an erected position and thereafter as a hip support for one side wall of the tent; and flexible connecting means connecting the other side of said tent and said bows for limiting the angular spread of the bows and being attachable at will to the hip bow for support in tent side-Wall supporting position; said bows being foldable on said frame through detachment of said flexible connecting means from said hip bow followed by forcing of said hip bow toward the frame and folding the hip bow down on said lateral bow with its cross member along the pivotal support for the plurality of bows.

5. A structure as defined in claim 4; a tent cover having a lateral extension having a hip supported by said hip bow and including a drop extension including a floor section, with said oor section serving as a cover for the remainder of the tent when collapsed and folded on said frame and including an encompassing flange having securing means and projecting from the lower portion of said lateral extension for attaching the floor section over the remainder of the tent peripherally about the frame.

6. A tent comprising a frame including a vehicular support, a tent, three bows including a lateral bow and spanning the length of the frame and having their arms pivotally connected at the respective ends of one side of said frame; a hip bow having its arms pivotally connected to the arms of said lateral bow intermediate the length thereof and including stop means cooperative between said lateral bow and said hip bow for limiting the projection thereof in an upward and outward position, a flexible member connecting the other side of said frame and said three bows for equi-angular divergence and having an extension releasably attachable to said hip bow for support in extended position, with said hip bow having a cross member superposed on the pivotal ends of said three bows when folded and initially functioning as means for pulling said bows to an erected position, and upon attachment oi" said flexible member forming a hip support for one side of the tent, with said bows all collapsible within the confines of said frame through detachment of said exible member from said hip bow, and pushing of the hip bow toward the frame.

'I'I-lEODORE HEIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date i 108,959 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1917 498,162 Great Britain Jan. 4, 1939 807,639 France Oct. 19, 1936 

